Government and Parliamentary updates
Eight people dead in latest Channel tragedy
Eight people tragically died over the weekend trying to cross the Channel from France to England. At least thirty-nine people have lost their lives attempting to cross the English Channel in 2024 so far, up from twelve in 2023.
Offshore processing and Starmer’s Italy visit
The British Prime Minister has visited Italy to meet with Georgia Meloni ‘for advice on tackling small-boat migration’ according to the FT, with Starmer setting his sights on an Italy-style offshore processing deal according to inews. NGOs including Refugee Council, Amnesty International and the International Rescue Committee are calling on Starmer to distance the UK from Italy’s hard-right immigration plans.
New boss and funds for UK Border Security Command
Martin Hewitt, the former chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council was named as the commander of the Government’s new border security command on Sunday. He has reportedly warned the Prime Minister’s plan to ‘smash the gangs’ won’t be enough to stop Channel crossings without a ‘deterrent’. Meanwhile the Government has announced a £75 million increase in funding for the new command to ‘crackdown on people smuggling networks’, using funds previously allocated to the Rwanda scheme.
Government news story – e-Visas
The Government has issued a news story urging all those who use a physical immigration document (such as a Biometric Residence Permit) to take immediate action to transition to an e-visa, and promoting its information resources on the scheme. It has published a list of organisations who will provide support on a national basis on the E-Visa scheme in the nations of the UK. It says that dozens of community based organisations will join this network in the coming weeks. It has also produced ‘help videos’ to the scheme, and a number of guides.
ICIBI call for evidence: age assessments
The Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration is inviting anyone with knowledge and experience of the Home Office’s use of age assessments to submit evidence for this inspection. The deadline has been extended to 9 October.
ICIBI call for evidence: Home Office management of contact with those who are without leave to enter or remain
The ICIBI is carrying out an inspection into Home Office contact with people without leave to enter or remain and the consequences of loss of contact for the Home Office and individuals. Details of the scope of their inspection here.
Brook House inquiry
A year after the Brook House Inquiry found a toxic culture at the immigration removal centre, with detainees subjected to degrading treatment, its Chair, Kate Eves, has spoken out about an “inadequate and disappointing” reaction from central Government, with only one of the inquiry’s 33 recommendations implemented. Coverage here.
ICIBI finds Rwanda safety plans failed to meet minimum standards
A review by the ICIBI has found that the last Government relied largely on evidence from Rwandan officials when assessing whether or not Rwanda was a safe place to send people seeking asylum. The ICIBI found that the Government’s report, which deemed Rwanda a safe country contrary to evidence put forward by the UNHCR, did not meet minimum standards of research, leaving fundamental gaps and unanswered questions. Coverage here.
Over 1,500 child trafficking victims feared back with exploiters
The Guardian reports that more than 1,500 victims identified for support are at risk of falling back into the hands of their traffickers, leading to the children’s commissioner for England warning that that some child trafficking victims are not being adequately protected when referred to support services. Coverage here.
